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Reféns Do Destino
Unidos Pelo Destino - Chantelle Shaw
Erin Maguire é surpreendida ao descobrir que seu filho adotivo é, na verdade, o herdeiro do trono de um reino no deserto. Aqora, ela e o menino estão a caminho da terra de Qubbah, acompanhados pelo tio do pequeno Kazim, o poderoso e arrogante Zahir bin Kahlid al Muntassir!Ele insiste que seu sobrinho permaneça em Qubbah, mas ela se recusa a abandonar seu filho! E, mesmo não possuindo sangue real. Erin está disposta a ceder à implacável sedução do sheik Kazim!
Refém De Uma Chantagem - Trish Morey
Coagida a se casar para salvar sua família, Briar Davenport esta determinada a não permitir que Diablo Barrentes usufrua todos os seus direitos de marido. Ele é a pessoa que Briar mais despreza no mundo. No entanto, basta sentir em sua pele um toque de Diablo para Que ela perca toda a determinação... e a razão. Mas será que a paixão Que os incendeia será o suficiente para transformar um casamento por conveniência em um relacionamento de verdade? Além disso, conforme segredos são revelados, Briar percebe que Diablo talvez seja bem menos ameaçador do que seu nome sugere...
Erin Maguire é surpreendida ao descobrir que seu filho adotivo é, na verdade, o herdeiro do trono de um reino no deserto. Aqora, ela e o menino estão a caminho da terra de Qubbah, acompanhados pelo tio do pequeno Kazim, o poderoso e arrogante Zahir bin Kahlid al Muntassir!Ele insiste que seu sobrinho permaneça em Qubbah, mas ela se recusa a abandonar seu filho! E, mesmo não possuindo sangue real. Erin está disposta a ceder à implacável sedução do sheik Kazim!
Refém De Uma Chantagem - Trish Morey
Coagida a se casar para salvar sua família, Briar Davenport esta determinada a não permitir que Diablo Barrentes usufrua todos os seus direitos de marido. Ele é a pessoa que Briar mais despreza no mundo. No entanto, basta sentir em sua pele um toque de Diablo para Que ela perca toda a determinação... e a razão. Mas será que a paixão Que os incendeia será o suficiente para transformar um casamento por conveniência em um relacionamento de verdade? Além disso, conforme segredos são revelados, Briar percebe que Diablo talvez seja bem menos ameaçador do que seu nome sugere...
311 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2008
About the author
Chantelle Shaw
669 books159 followersI grew up without a TV, let alone DVD’s, computer games etc that my kids spend so much time engrossed in, but I learned to read at an early age and from then on I was always entertained – so much so that my friends used to hide their books when I visited them because all I wanted to do was read!
When I was a teenager I discovered Mills & Boon romances in my local library, and so began a lifelong love affair. I still remember that feeling of anticipation when I settled down with a pile of books - all bearing the famous rose logo - knowing that I would be drawn into a world of love, passion and emotional intensity that I have never found in any other books. I enjoy reading a wide range of books, especially historical novels, and I am a big fan of Agatha Christie, mainly I think because her characters seem so real, but I love romances and unashamedly admit that I only want to read books with a guaranteed happy ending. Reading is my joy and pleasure and I don’t want to cry buckets at the end of a book or have my sleep disturbed by its gruesome content.
For me, the characters in Harlequin Mills & Boon romances are the key. I love reading and writing about strong, alpha heroes and feisty, independent heroines who find that they can’t fight the blazing attraction between them.
When I married my own tall, dark, but sadly not wealthy hero, we moved out of London to the Kent coast and started a family that grew and grew. I adore my six children, and when they were small I loved being a stay-at-home mum, but there can be days, as I’m sure many of you know, when you feel isolated and – dare I say it – bored of conversing with three-year-olds. Harlequin Mills & Boon romances were my life-line and my sanity and I read them whenever I had a spare five minutes (in the bath, pacing the floor at three am with colicky baby on one shoulder and a book in the other hand!)
My imagination soared and I decided to try and write a book myself. My first attempt was typed up on a manual type-writer with the full-stop key and the letter p missing. Luckily my hero and heroine were not called Paul and Poppy, but it still meant going over my manuscript with a pen to fill in the gaps!
That first book was duly rejected as were my next two. I suppose I was disheartened and by now I had four small children and very little spare time, so although I continued to read romances, I gave up writing. It wasn’t until my youngest son started school that I tried writing again. I was struggling to come to terms with the death of my darling mum Gabrielle and writing became my therapy. Mum had always nagged me to get on and write a book and had an unshakeable belief that I would one day be published – I’m so glad that she was proved right and my biggest regret is that she isn’t here to share my success with me.
I wrote two more books which were both rejected by HM&B, but I was given some advice on my writing from the editorial team that encouraged me to try again. Third time lucky certainly applied to me – the day I received ‘the call’ was exactly four years after Mum had died. It was one of the most exciting moments of my life - but instead of chatting to the editor about contracts I had to dash off and pick my sick daughter up from school. Reality is never far away in my house!
I have now had nine books published - At the Sheikh's Bidding was released in September 08. My next book, Argentinian Playboy, Unexpected Love-Child will be out in the UK in July 09, and The Greek Billionaire's Innocent Princess in the UK in August 09. I have just had my twelfth book accepted and am already busy on my thirteenth. Now that my children are growing up I am able to write every day between 9 am and 3 pm, but often I become so involved with my characters that I sneak off to write again in the evening!
I feel I must be one of the luckiest people in the world to be doing something that I love, but I work hard at my luck and I believe that w
When I was a teenager I discovered Mills & Boon romances in my local library, and so began a lifelong love affair. I still remember that feeling of anticipation when I settled down with a pile of books - all bearing the famous rose logo - knowing that I would be drawn into a world of love, passion and emotional intensity that I have never found in any other books. I enjoy reading a wide range of books, especially historical novels, and I am a big fan of Agatha Christie, mainly I think because her characters seem so real, but I love romances and unashamedly admit that I only want to read books with a guaranteed happy ending. Reading is my joy and pleasure and I don’t want to cry buckets at the end of a book or have my sleep disturbed by its gruesome content.
For me, the characters in Harlequin Mills & Boon romances are the key. I love reading and writing about strong, alpha heroes and feisty, independent heroines who find that they can’t fight the blazing attraction between them.
When I married my own tall, dark, but sadly not wealthy hero, we moved out of London to the Kent coast and started a family that grew and grew. I adore my six children, and when they were small I loved being a stay-at-home mum, but there can be days, as I’m sure many of you know, when you feel isolated and – dare I say it – bored of conversing with three-year-olds. Harlequin Mills & Boon romances were my life-line and my sanity and I read them whenever I had a spare five minutes (in the bath, pacing the floor at three am with colicky baby on one shoulder and a book in the other hand!)
My imagination soared and I decided to try and write a book myself. My first attempt was typed up on a manual type-writer with the full-stop key and the letter p missing. Luckily my hero and heroine were not called Paul and Poppy, but it still meant going over my manuscript with a pen to fill in the gaps!
That first book was duly rejected as were my next two. I suppose I was disheartened and by now I had four small children and very little spare time, so although I continued to read romances, I gave up writing. It wasn’t until my youngest son started school that I tried writing again. I was struggling to come to terms with the death of my darling mum Gabrielle and writing became my therapy. Mum had always nagged me to get on and write a book and had an unshakeable belief that I would one day be published – I’m so glad that she was proved right and my biggest regret is that she isn’t here to share my success with me.
I wrote two more books which were both rejected by HM&B, but I was given some advice on my writing from the editorial team that encouraged me to try again. Third time lucky certainly applied to me – the day I received ‘the call’ was exactly four years after Mum had died. It was one of the most exciting moments of my life - but instead of chatting to the editor about contracts I had to dash off and pick my sick daughter up from school. Reality is never far away in my house!
I have now had nine books published - At the Sheikh's Bidding was released in September 08. My next book, Argentinian Playboy, Unexpected Love-Child will be out in the UK in July 09, and The Greek Billionaire's Innocent Princess in the UK in August 09. I have just had my twelfth book accepted and am already busy on my thirteenth. Now that my children are growing up I am able to write every day between 9 am and 3 pm, but often I become so involved with my characters that I sneak off to write again in the evening!
I feel I must be one of the luckiest people in the world to be doing something that I love, but I work hard at my luck and I believe that w
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 10, 2019
H/h marry to provide a stable home for the future king of a dessert kingdom. Love ensues.
Heroine is a Lynne Graham heroine - foster home, under-educated, heart of gold. She married the H's brother after he discovered he has a brain tumor. She had been his child's nanny since his first wife died and he told her he had no other family. She adopts the child and is prepared to spend the rest of her days caring for him. The brother dies and leaves everything to the heroine.
The brother had his lawyer send a letter to his father, the king, after his death. Enter hero who wants his brother's child for his ill father's sake and the sake of the dessert kingdom. He attempts to buy off the heroine. Then he threatens her. Finally emotional blackmail works.
Heroine doesn't find out her adopted son is to be the next king until after they are in the palace. Hero's father wants him to marry the heroine, but even though hero is wildly attracted to her, he thinks she's golddigger. It's only after she tries to escape that they marry and spend their honeymoon at a dessert oasis.
There is a last minute black moment with an OW exposing the heroine's past in a public manner, but hero stands by her for an HEA.
This is just a predictable, tropey category that hits all the right notes and moves right along.
Heroine is a Lynne Graham heroine - foster home, under-educated, heart of gold. She married the H's brother after he discovered he has a brain tumor. She had been his child's nanny since his first wife died and he told her he had no other family. She adopts the child and is prepared to spend the rest of her days caring for him. The brother dies and leaves everything to the heroine.
The brother had his lawyer send a letter to his father, the king, after his death. Enter hero who wants his brother's child for his ill father's sake and the sake of the dessert kingdom. He attempts to buy off the heroine. Then he threatens her. Finally emotional blackmail works.
Heroine doesn't find out her adopted son is to be the next king until after they are in the palace. Hero's father wants him to marry the heroine, but even though hero is wildly attracted to her, he thinks she's golddigger. It's only after she tries to escape that they marry and spend their honeymoon at a dessert oasis.
There is a last minute black moment with an OW exposing the heroine's past in a public manner, but hero stands by her for an HEA.
This is just a predictable, tropey category that hits all the right notes and moves right along.
January 1, 2019
4.5 stars ⭐️.
Again no epilogue. In some instance like this that makes me wanna bang my head on the nearest wall.
Come on, these MC’s needed their epilogue and happily ever after with a dozen children more than anything. So I felt the ending was rushed.
The temperamental, sometimes violent heroine who likes to throw things at hero stole my heart. She was a fun character to read. Hero was a typical sheikh. They both had combustible chemistry and I enjoyed their story. Even though the child plays a main role in their story, I felt like the author didn’t utilize it to max. And the heroine’s inability to resist hero soon became a very irritating thing. If only she resisted him at least once! Like my fellow goodreaders says ‘betraying body alert’😉.
Their tempestuous love story was very interesting to read.
So yes recommended.
Again no epilogue. In some instance like this that makes me wanna bang my head on the nearest wall.
Come on, these MC’s needed their epilogue and happily ever after with a dozen children more than anything. So I felt the ending was rushed.
The temperamental, sometimes violent heroine who likes to throw things at hero stole my heart. She was a fun character to read. Hero was a typical sheikh. They both had combustible chemistry and I enjoyed their story. Even though the child plays a main role in their story, I felt like the author didn’t utilize it to max. And the heroine’s inability to resist hero soon became a very irritating thing. If only she resisted him at least once! Like my fellow goodreaders says ‘betraying body alert’😉.
Their tempestuous love story was very interesting to read.
So yes recommended.
March 11, 2019
I'm all for Alpha, and I can even get on with a bit of assholery, but the H in this one was just a douchebag.
The h didn't help by thinking one thing and then doing the exact opposite of it, and repeatedly letting him talk to her like she was trash, while wishing he would have his wicked way with her at any available opportunity.
Over the top, which I expect with a M&B, but this one wasn't doing it in the right way or for the right reasons.
The h didn't help by thinking one thing and then doing the exact opposite of it, and repeatedly letting him talk to her like she was trash, while wishing he would have his wicked way with her at any available opportunity.
Over the top, which I expect with a M&B, but this one wasn't doing it in the right way or for the right reasons.
September 19, 2015
A wonderful heart-tugging story with a very broken loving heroine and a very alpha hero! Love marriage of convenience stories and evil OW who is trying to stir trouble. CS's writing is always very emotional and passionate!
June 18, 2014
I'm not usually in the habit of reviewing these bog standard Mills & Boon pieces of fluff, but that's because normally they're very middle of the road and you can't say a lot about them. This one, however... Dear God, where do I start?
'Mills & Boon Modern' it says on the cover, and a quick peek at the publishing date shows that this book stems from 2008, but if you'd told me it was written and published in 1978 I'd have found it more believable. The arrogant, hateful, mid-thirties hero and the virginal early twenties (at most) heroine were very much in vogue back then. I really hoped we'd progressed beyond that kind of dynamic, but I guess not.
Just to be clear, I have no inherent problem with arrogant heroes. Arrogant heroes whose redeeming features don't show up until page 139 (in a 190-page book), however, piss me off. Until that point his only redeeming feature is his awesome manliness and god-like appearance. And don't take that from me, take that from the author herself:
He was an arrogant pig - but unfortunately he looked like a golden-skinned demi-god in black tailored trousers and a white silk shirt which was so fine that she could clearly make out the ridges of his powerful abdominal muscles beneath it.
For the better part of the book there is nothing more going on between hero and heroine other than powerful sexual attraction and constant mental reviews of how sexy/awesome/virile/seductive/beautiful/wanton/manly/feminine the other one looks, while at the same time lamenting the fact that they loathe each other so much.
All of that might not be so bad, really - to each their own, and I'm sure there's plenty of readers who love this whole arrogant pig malarkey - if it weren't for the return of the Kiss as Punishment.
I'll spell it out: kisses as punishment are not sexy. The book is full of occurrences such as this one:
His arms felt like steel bands holding her fast, and when he forced his tongue between her lips she moaned and tried to turn her head to evade his ruthless assault.
Perfect word choice there, because that's what it is: sexual assault. I don't care that twenty seconds later she's putty in his arms and unable to resist his powerful masculinity, using force is bad, mmkay?
So, if all of the above is what floats your boat, knock yourself out - you'll love this one. If you don't, give it a wide berth.
'Mills & Boon Modern' it says on the cover, and a quick peek at the publishing date shows that this book stems from 2008, but if you'd told me it was written and published in 1978 I'd have found it more believable. The arrogant, hateful, mid-thirties hero and the virginal early twenties (at most) heroine were very much in vogue back then. I really hoped we'd progressed beyond that kind of dynamic, but I guess not.
Just to be clear, I have no inherent problem with arrogant heroes. Arrogant heroes whose redeeming features don't show up until page 139 (in a 190-page book), however, piss me off. Until that point his only redeeming feature is his awesome manliness and god-like appearance. And don't take that from me, take that from the author herself:
He was an arrogant pig - but unfortunately he looked like a golden-skinned demi-god in black tailored trousers and a white silk shirt which was so fine that she could clearly make out the ridges of his powerful abdominal muscles beneath it.
For the better part of the book there is nothing more going on between hero and heroine other than powerful sexual attraction and constant mental reviews of how sexy/awesome/virile/seductive/beautiful/wanton/manly/feminine the other one looks, while at the same time lamenting the fact that they loathe each other so much.
All of that might not be so bad, really - to each their own, and I'm sure there's plenty of readers who love this whole arrogant pig malarkey - if it weren't for the return of the Kiss as Punishment.
I'll spell it out: kisses as punishment are not sexy. The book is full of occurrences such as this one:
His arms felt like steel bands holding her fast, and when he forced his tongue between her lips she moaned and tried to turn her head to evade his ruthless assault.
Perfect word choice there, because that's what it is: sexual assault. I don't care that twenty seconds later she's putty in his arms and unable to resist his powerful masculinity, using force is bad, mmkay?
So, if all of the above is what floats your boat, knock yourself out - you'll love this one. If you don't, give it a wide berth.
June 22, 2017
Oh god that sheikh zahir is yummy ♡
September 27, 2010
I liked the story, Erin's character as a loving adoptive mother who had a sordid past tugged at my heart, but I have a love-hate feeling about Zahir and she together. I really wanted to give this a higher rating, but I didn't like the way the characters didn't progress.
One would think they're getting somewhere during the honeymoon but Zahir is too dominant and rude for my taste, he's not even the sexy dominating type but the annoying type. Sure he's hot and he's royalty, but I didn't like the way he treated Erin, who let herself be treated that way - like a pushover who can't get her emotions and libido under control.
The only good thing about this is the sex, which they couldn't get enough of. It was written with intensity, but some of them were repetitive. The author kept repeating that they were meant for each other the moment they laid eyes on each other. It's the uncontrollable lust that encompassed their potential to have a deeper relationship, and sure there's a happy ending but as usual it was rushed just so they could live happily ever after.
One would think they're getting somewhere during the honeymoon but Zahir is too dominant and rude for my taste, he's not even the sexy dominating type but the annoying type. Sure he's hot and he's royalty, but I didn't like the way he treated Erin, who let herself be treated that way - like a pushover who can't get her emotions and libido under control.
The only good thing about this is the sex, which they couldn't get enough of. It was written with intensity, but some of them were repetitive. The author kept repeating that they were meant for each other the moment they laid eyes on each other. It's the uncontrollable lust that encompassed their potential to have a deeper relationship, and sure there's a happy ending but as usual it was rushed just so they could live happily ever after.
March 11, 2020
Oh well. Zahir has me ruined for life! No other man will compare.
500 stars from an outstanding read from my favourite HP writer, Chantelle Shaw! How could’ve I missed this book ..! My pounding headache will have to withstand today because I couldn’t put the book down last night. Zahir’s sensual and passionate love making has snatched my soul.
I absolutely loved Erin and Zahir and wouldn’t change anything about them. There wasn’t a single annoying hair on either of them and their verbal snipes had smoked my screen and other places. Zahir was one hot alpha lover, I’ve yet to meet another to compare to him. He owns my soul.. and it will take me sometime to get over him.
I also loved Erin and her zero tolerance for Zahir’s high and flighty royal background. If she had to create a ruckus in order to get a hold of him, she totally did. There was no backing down for her and Zahir certainly knew how to calm her mind and soul. His remorse at not dealing with Erin in a gentler way was my undoing. Was there anything in this man that a woman wouldn’t desire?
Zahir meets Erin when his estranged brother passes away and leaves behind a son. The deceased brother was heir to the throne and now rightfully his son, who’s only 3, must be brought back to the palace to be raised as a future king. Erin has adopted Kazim and she’s ready to scale mountains if she has to, to keep him.
Erin fights dirty to keep her son and Zahir realizes that he has it laid out for him. He fights back, only that his fighting doesn’t involve jibes and bodily strikes. Oh lord. My hero worship will not end anytime soon.
What an ultimate comfort read this was. And I’ve to remind myself exactly why was I opposed to reading sheikh stories.
500 stars from an outstanding read from my favourite HP writer, Chantelle Shaw! How could’ve I missed this book ..! My pounding headache will have to withstand today because I couldn’t put the book down last night. Zahir’s sensual and passionate love making has snatched my soul.
I absolutely loved Erin and Zahir and wouldn’t change anything about them. There wasn’t a single annoying hair on either of them and their verbal snipes had smoked my screen and other places. Zahir was one hot alpha lover, I’ve yet to meet another to compare to him. He owns my soul.. and it will take me sometime to get over him.
I also loved Erin and her zero tolerance for Zahir’s high and flighty royal background. If she had to create a ruckus in order to get a hold of him, she totally did. There was no backing down for her and Zahir certainly knew how to calm her mind and soul. His remorse at not dealing with Erin in a gentler way was my undoing. Was there anything in this man that a woman wouldn’t desire?
Zahir meets Erin when his estranged brother passes away and leaves behind a son. The deceased brother was heir to the throne and now rightfully his son, who’s only 3, must be brought back to the palace to be raised as a future king. Erin has adopted Kazim and she’s ready to scale mountains if she has to, to keep him.
Erin fights dirty to keep her son and Zahir realizes that he has it laid out for him. He fights back, only that his fighting doesn’t involve jibes and bodily strikes. Oh lord. My hero worship will not end anytime soon.
What an ultimate comfort read this was. And I’ve to remind myself exactly why was I opposed to reading sheikh stories.
August 7, 2015
Not a regular Mills and Boon reader, so you'll have to excuse me pointing out the obvious, like how rapey the plot is and how the theme is that being treated like shit is a total turn-on. It's just kinda funny to pick up a book in 2015 and think, "Woah, the last 40 years of changing social attitudes sure left you behind." This is a book not afraid to be un-PC. Virginal single mother of her adopted orphaned son finds out he is heir to an Arabian kingdom and also for some reason falls in love at first sight with the estranged uncle who comes to claim the child, despite the fact that from the first said uncle acts like a complete and utter toolbag.
But to pick at the gender/race shit in this book would be shooting fish in a barrel, you knew what you were getting when you picked up a book called "At The Sheikh's Bidding". Although it may come as a surprise that this was written in 2008 and not 1932. And lighten up, it's a *fantasy*, there's no such thing as forced marriages.
To the main reason for picking up the book - how was the sex in it? Pretty good, pretty good. Two thumbs up. Steamy. I'd be reading it while on my lunch at my work and just as it got to a bit about hardened, heavy, hairy chest muscles being tenderly caressed someone would come in and want to chat to me and it would be like, "FUCK OFF".
Have to say, while Erin (awful name) is supposed to be a firey Irish lass we never really see her be firey beyond throwing an ashtray and pouting. In fact, the entire course of the book follows her losing all her confidence, self-respect and self-esteem until she finally gives up her child because she no longer believes herself to be a fit mother. It's well sexy (!) Could have done with more back-and-forth between the two main characters, so it was less like,
Zahir: "I want to take your son away from you and also pump you rotten."
Erin: "That's not what I want but okay."
In conclusion, this book does exactly what it says on the tin. There is a sheikh. His does a lot of bidding. Some of his bidding is to lie there and let him fuck you blind. That particular bidding is highly entertaining to read.
But to pick at the gender/race shit in this book would be shooting fish in a barrel, you knew what you were getting when you picked up a book called "At The Sheikh's Bidding". Although it may come as a surprise that this was written in 2008 and not 1932. And lighten up, it's a *fantasy*, there's no such thing as forced marriages.
To the main reason for picking up the book - how was the sex in it? Pretty good, pretty good. Two thumbs up. Steamy. I'd be reading it while on my lunch at my work and just as it got to a bit about hardened, heavy, hairy chest muscles being tenderly caressed someone would come in and want to chat to me and it would be like, "FUCK OFF".
Have to say, while Erin (awful name) is supposed to be a firey Irish lass we never really see her be firey beyond throwing an ashtray and pouting. In fact, the entire course of the book follows her losing all her confidence, self-respect and self-esteem until she finally gives up her child because she no longer believes herself to be a fit mother. It's well sexy (!) Could have done with more back-and-forth between the two main characters, so it was less like,
Zahir: "I want to take your son away from you and also pump you rotten."
Erin: "That's not what I want but okay."
In conclusion, this book does exactly what it says on the tin. There is a sheikh. His does a lot of bidding. Some of his bidding is to lie there and let him fuck you blind. That particular bidding is highly entertaining to read.
September 13, 2021
I'm also a fan of books with Sheikh heroes, so when I decided to read this book, I was already prepared to like it, but oh boy, I wasn't prepared to love this quite as much as I did. The flow, the writing style, the feel of the story, the characters... everything just instantly hooked me from the very beginning!
Zahir was the perfect mix of a brooding hero. He runs hot and cold towards Erin, and he has lots of jerky moments. Yes, he wasn't perfect, but he totally made up for it. But what really made this book for me was the heroine, Erin. She's a heroine you can't help but love and root for. She's strong, caring, kind, and selfless. But she doesn't let anyone, especially Zahir to walk all over her. She had a quiet intensity in her.
The romance between them at first wasn't sweet. In fact, they started on shaky ground. They constantly fought regarding the custody of Erin's adopted son and Zahir's nephew, Kazim. But the dialogue, the gestures - everything between them was unbelievably good, and there's so much chemistry despite their constant verbal sparring. But nothing melted me more than Zahir's love for Erin. His willingness to give up everything, including his birthright for her.
"You are my life. And I have discovered that wherever you are is the only place I want to be.
"My duty is to my wife. You are more important to me more than Quabbah, my father, everything. You, me, and Kazim, we are family. And the only thing I want is for us to be together."
February 15, 2012
I was struggling to write a review for this one as in some ways I liked it and in many others I didn't.
I had read other reviews and came along this one http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... To be honest I couldn't have put it better - I hope you don't mind that I used your review Joy ☺
I had read other reviews and came along this one http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... To be honest I couldn't have put it better - I hope you don't mind that I used your review Joy ☺
June 4, 2021
Erin Maguire is shocked to discover that her adopted son is the heir to a desert kingdom! Now they're en route to the land of Qubbah with little Kazim's uncle, the powerful and arrogant Zahir bin Kahlid al Muntassir!Zahir insists Erin marry him, and that his young nephew remain in Qubbah! She refuses to leave Kazim behind, but she's not of royal blood. Zahir will have a very ordinary virgin bride in his bed on his wedding night!
May 1, 2018
3 years earlier, Erin became nanny to baby Kazim and when his father became terminally ill, she agreed to marry him in order to adopt Kazim legally. When he dies, Erin is shocked to learn that 3-year-old Kazim is now the heir to a sheikdom and his uncle, Zahir, is here to take him to his home country. Being the legal, adoptive mother, Erin says no way, but Zahir manages to get her to back to his country where she's manipulated into staying and marrying him. And while she admits, the attraction between them makes their nights together incredible, Erin doubts she'll ever earn Zahir's love.
I didn't hate this book. It had a lot of the qualities, like angst and tension and OTT drama that I love in my HPs, so all those classic elements are there and I kinda liked that. I also kinda like the grovel part - not nearly enough given Zahir's faults and behavior, but it was kinda sweet and there were hero tears involved. Nice. But certain aspects that make me question the modernity of this story, I wasn't so fond of. First of all, Zahir is an asshat. He's pretty cruel, enjoys doling out kisses and sex as punishment (which I hate) and seems to relish in humiliating the heroine. He has twinges of conscience, but decides the ends justify the means - if he has to lie to keep his nephew in the country, then so be it. If he has marry a woman to get her in his bed - no problem. And furthermore, Zahir is from a bygone era when physical arousal was all the consent you needed...even meant ignoring the words coming out of a woman's mouth. And Zahir masters the forced seduction with Erin. He doesn't care if she's saying no, he changes her mind for her.
Erin is not exactly a doormat, but she has some absolutely baffling reactions to lust. One minute she's angry and yelling at Zahir because he basically has just kidnapped her son and ruined her life and the next she's THIS CLOSE to having sex with him. Then she's wondering what's wrong with her to want him that much? My question exactly. I don't care how sexy a man is, no hormone on this earth will have me ready to sex with someone who has just kidnapped my son. Even worse, after the third one of these experiences, after she's just finished yelling because she wants to take her son home and he won't let her, she wonders if she's in love with him. WTF how is that possible? He has not shown even one half-way decent personality trait and she's in love with him? I could not even with this woman.
If you can handle the hero's tendency toward forced seduction and the heroine's willingness to abandon ALL pride and sense in the name of lust, then this is a book for you.
I didn't hate this book. It had a lot of the qualities, like angst and tension and OTT drama that I love in my HPs, so all those classic elements are there and I kinda liked that. I also kinda like the grovel part - not nearly enough given Zahir's faults and behavior, but it was kinda sweet and there were hero tears involved. Nice. But certain aspects that make me question the modernity of this story, I wasn't so fond of. First of all, Zahir is an asshat. He's pretty cruel, enjoys doling out kisses and sex as punishment (which I hate) and seems to relish in humiliating the heroine. He has twinges of conscience, but decides the ends justify the means - if he has to lie to keep his nephew in the country, then so be it. If he has marry a woman to get her in his bed - no problem. And furthermore, Zahir is from a bygone era when physical arousal was all the consent you needed...even meant ignoring the words coming out of a woman's mouth. And Zahir masters the forced seduction with Erin. He doesn't care if she's saying no, he changes her mind for her.
Erin is not exactly a doormat, but she has some absolutely baffling reactions to lust. One minute she's angry and yelling at Zahir because he basically has just kidnapped her son and ruined her life and the next she's THIS CLOSE to having sex with him. Then she's wondering what's wrong with her to want him that much? My question exactly. I don't care how sexy a man is, no hormone on this earth will have me ready to sex with someone who has just kidnapped my son. Even worse, after the third one of these experiences, after she's just finished yelling because she wants to take her son home and he won't let her, she wonders if she's in love with him. WTF how is that possible? He has not shown even one half-way decent personality trait and she's in love with him? I could not even with this woman.
If you can handle the hero's tendency toward forced seduction and the heroine's willingness to abandon ALL pride and sense in the name of lust, then this is a book for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2013
The story over all was nicely written, but I am just not a great fan of a plot, where Hero treats the h abominably and insult her at every point in the name of love and jealousy. It could have been much better if there were some more instances where the h had a reason to actually like the H let alone fall in love with him. Also the end was too abrupt, until the last page the H was testing the h, I don't see how that can be called love in the next paragraph. But over all decently written.
May 5, 2024
"At the Sheikh's Bidding" is the story of Erin and Zahir.
So in this book, the hero finds out that his older brother has died leaving an heir. He had resented his sibling since his fiance eloped with his brother. Now both are dead, and he has an orphan nephew.
What he does not expect is that his brother remarried a nanny, and she is fiercely protective of her adopted son.
He whisks her away to his kingdom, then tries to coerce her to leave the baby. She refuses, but cant deny the attraction between them. Circumstances lead to a marriage, some hymen drama, catty OW, some angst and a HEA.
The second half was actually way better than the first and I grew to not resent the hero.
Safe
3.5/5
So in this book, the hero finds out that his older brother has died leaving an heir. He had resented his sibling since his fiance eloped with his brother. Now both are dead, and he has an orphan nephew.
What he does not expect is that his brother remarried a nanny, and she is fiercely protective of her adopted son.
He whisks her away to his kingdom, then tries to coerce her to leave the baby. She refuses, but cant deny the attraction between them. Circumstances lead to a marriage, some hymen drama, catty OW, some angst and a HEA.
The second half was actually way better than the first and I grew to not resent the hero.
Safe
3.5/5
November 22, 2020
The H is an asshole. I believe he asked for the HER consent a couple of times but the rest of the times, he just forced himself on her. Seriously unacceptable. I did not find any redeeming qualities in him. There is also no epilogue in this book. The reason I have given it a 3 star because I was unable to drop the book mid way even though the H’s behavior was appalling. The story is beautiful written. It flows seamlessly and keeps you hooked in the hopes of find those redeeming qualities in the H. I do love Sheikh romances.
December 27, 2024
Estas historias cortas hay que calificarlas de acuerdo a lo que son. No va a salir un premio Nobel de aquí, pero en las pocas páginas que tenemos sabemos la historia de fondo de los protagonistas que los hacen actuar de esa forma. No soy fan del amor instantáneo, pero lo entiendo por la duración de la historia. Perfecto para pasar el rato, las decisiones que se toman están mas o menos sustentadas, lo cual te permite vivir en la fantasía.
October 15, 2021
Misconceptions abound-but that made it a fun read. Wished more groveling
February 16, 2015
It was okay.
In my opinion:
- The setting was interesting but it wasn't highlighted enough.
- The presence of the child they both have a claim to is an interesting facet but it wasn't explored enough.
-The hero and heroine are complex characters who don't
-There were many sex scenes. They weren't very graphic they were many and not at all crucial to the story.
-The ending was too hurried.
It's not going to be one of my favorite Harlequins by Chantelle Shaw but it was okay.
In my opinion:
- The setting was interesting but it wasn't highlighted enough.
- The presence of the child they both have a claim to is an interesting facet but it wasn't explored enough.
-The hero and heroine are complex characters who don't
-There were many sex scenes. They weren't very graphic they were many and not at all crucial to the story.
-The ending was too hurried.
It's not going to be one of my favorite Harlequins by Chantelle Shaw but it was okay.
December 1, 2011
I found Zahir's character to be too arrogant and overly alpha but it worked as the author created a balance in the middle and the end of the book. The characters were believable and their back stories were good.
August 26, 2010
Also inspired a blog post:
http://fantasyhandbook.wordpress.com/...
http://fantasyhandbook.wordpress.com/...
August 21, 2013
Zahir is such a brute but it's a nice story, however I didn't like the ending. she gets the guy but what about the baby the book should have ended with all 3 of them hugging.
January 4, 2018
I don't think I like Zahir at all.
July 26, 2016
I just didn't like the way he was treating her at all 'cause it was really mean insulting her all the time and even in the end by sending again a checque.
October 19, 2014
Powerful, leaning towards the side of an alpha-male, too dominant and superior, but still beautiful and sweet for my taste.
March 22, 2019
dnf, dude was hideous
December 16, 2020
Unidos Pelo Destino - Chantelle Shaw
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